The ‘Operations’ Pillar of ecommerce

Achieving Operational Excellence
One can achieve operational excellence across the organization by working on the finer points outlined below:

Structure follows strategy
It’s imperative to understand that everyone in the company is on the same page regarding the firm’s commitment to its objective and its definition of success. It’s best to define the company’s business strategy and objectives upfront and communicate it internally to all stakeholders. There needs to be a feeling of some level of ownership and involvement from all concerned.

Culture counts
Company culture is the key. Whether it’s done by experimenting or simply instilling a sense of ownership and involvement in every aspect of the business, the leadership must help every team member understand what ownership means for them, have the right incentive structures in place, and know what they can do to impact success. This is very important for an organization of any size or scale.

Dedicated is better than designated
As start-ups, many companies assign multi-tasks to individuals or teams with other core responsibilities. But when work becomes mission-critical and driving performance, appointing someone dedicated to doing it may be justified.

Outsource these eCommerce roles to take back your time
In-source and develop expertise where it matters most. Developing expertise internally in areas you view as strategic can yield a competitive advantage.
Some roles that have strategic importance and is best to be handled by an in-house team:
   ⦁ Leadership and decision-makers
   ⦁ Customer support
   ⦁ Listing creation
   ⦁ Photography
   ⦁ Some roles that can be outsourced to third-party vendors for execution:
   ⦁ HR
   ⦁ Fulfillment and return management
   ⦁ Returns 
   ⦁ Listing optimization and management
   ⦁ Graphic design

Attaining operational excellence is a fundamental goal that every eCommerce venture should ideally focus on and incorporate into its culture right from the time of inception. This not only helps achieve rapid growth; it also is a key element for companies to rise to a market leadership position.